Limpopo BB hold off Griquas CD
The Limpopo Blue Bulls secured a tough 25-19 victory over Griquas Country Districts in the first game at Craven Week in Middelburg on Monday.
The team from the far north of South Africa outscored the Griquas side by four tries to three in an entertaining match which was in the balance right until the final whistle.
Both teams showed a willingness to run the ball from the outset, and there were a couple of tries in the opening exchanges as the team from Limpopo built up a 13-7 lead after 20 minutes.
Griquas CD took the lead just before the half-hour mark with a fantastic team try that started as a counter-attack in their own half and was finished off by scrumhalf Andre Share with flyhalf Coenie Lamprecht's conversion putting them 14-13 up.
They stretched that lead just before half-time, with flank Dian Dry forcing his way over to give them a 19-13 advantage after an absorbing opening 40 minutes.
The Limpopo Blue Bulls hit back with a try from explosive loosehead prop Kgetho Mabokela who powered his way over the line, but flyhalf Diederik Oberholzer missed his third conversion attempt to leave them one point behind at 19-18.
However, they did not have to wait long before they were back in front, with Mabokela brushing off a few wary defenders to surge over for his second try.
Griquas Country Districts launched an extended period of pressure in response, but they could not find a way through as the Limpopo Blue Bulls' defence held firm for them to claim a hard-fought victory.
Man of the match: Big Limpopo loosehead Kgetho Mabokela stodd head and shoulders above the rest, with a few bullocking runs giving his side the impetus they needed to finish on top.
The scorers:
For Limpopo Blue Bulls:
Tries: Mametsa, Oberholzer, Mabokela 2
Con: Oberholzer
Pen: Oberholzer
For Griquas Country Districts:
Tries: Jantjies, Share, Dry
Cons: Lamprecht 2
Teams:
Limpopo Blue Bulls: 15 Barend Vorster, 14 Saudevandre Rolls, 13 Vukosi Mabuza, 12 Ntokozo Molapo, 11 Ansten Mokgokolo, 10 Diederik Oberholzer, 9 Nicolaas Enslin, 8 Willem Dreyer, 7 Mosesile Mahlo, 6 Armand Davies, 5 Dumisani Mushwana, 4 Jacques-Rever Visagie, 3 Cornelis Taljaard, 2 Mohlanye Mametsa, 1 Kgetho Mabokela.
Replacements: 16 Dirk Coetzee, 17 Jan Van der Kolff, 18 Arthur Jones, 19 Hendrik du Plessis, 20 Christiaan Vorster, 21 Danian Strauss, 22 Barend Janse van Rensburg.
Griquas CD: 15 Ronaldo Theron, 14 Marcel Van der Westhuizen, 13 Elmo Jantjies, 12 Ettiene Kruger, 11 Joe-Lythen Willemse, 10 Coenie Lamprecht, 9 Andre Share, 8 Reinhard Hayes, 7 Erik Jordaan, 6 Dian Dry, 5 Ryno Karstens, 4 Jacobus Wiese, 3 Stefan Hanekom, 2 Erlu Jonck, 1 David Du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Gert Nel, 17 Sergio Boer, 18 Wynand Terblanche, 19 Garth Young, 20 Denvill Joseph, 21 Nazeem van Wyk, 22 Dillon-Doyle Magerman.
